The four are local BNP vice president and Chanduria Union Parishad Chairman Mofiz Uddin, former UP Chairman Abdul Mozid Mollah, Omar and Yaad Ali.

They were charged under Section 376 of the Penal Code, Section 4 of the Cruelty to Women Act of 1983 for rape and under Section 342 for keeping the victim confined for two months after rape.

In the charge sheet submitted to a Magistrate Court here on Saturday, the CID also accused another person--Muhammad Ali.

But they said, Ali was accused in the case in line with a High Court order not to skip during re-investigation any accused named in the first charge sheet.

The victim's lawyers yesterday demanded speedy trial of the case.

"The victim of the case suffered a lot for 17 years since her rape as the case remained suspended for several reasons. She now needs a speedy trial", said Habibur Rahman Hasibul, the victim's lawyer, while talking to this correspondent.

The victim alleged earlier that Mofiz, Omar and Yaad bribed her uncle Sayed Ali Satari and gang-raped her on April 1988 when she was an 18 year old orphan.

Then they took her to the then UP chairman and village doctor Abdul Mozid Mollah, who also raped her.

Her ordeal did not end there as her uncle Satari lodged a case accusing Muhammad Ali while Mofiz kept her confined until police pressed charges against Ali two months later.

But the victim unfolded the truth when the court asked for evidence. Two of the accused were arrested after The Daily Star reported the incident on December 13 last year, but they were released on bail while the main accused in the case were moving freely.